Phoenix Rising
by Morgen Rose
Summary: One shot - Voldemort is gone, Snape is sent on sabbatical to protect him from both the Ministry and Death Eaters still at large. AN - The world is JKR's, I just toss in some new characters and play in it.


It had been Dumbledore's idea. The damned fool of a wizard had insisted that in the aftermath of Voldemort's exhaustive and final defeat he should get away for a while. Both Ministry officials and former Death Eaters were eager to find him. So, in the interest of getting a little peace and quiet he allowed Dumbledore to arrange this sabbatical.

"Her name is Rosamund Stanley. She has a very nice place that sometimes opens for vacationers. She agreed to restrict other visitors for as long as you need to stay."

"Is she a Muggle?"

"No." The old wizard's blue eyes danced with amusement. "She's from a rather prominent pure blood family. Rosamund is my great-niece."

Severus sighed. _Wonderful. Stuck for an indefinite amount of time with yet another disturbingly cheerful crackpot._ "When do I leave?"

"As soon as you can be ready. I have a portkey set up for you to use."

Heaving a sigh, he left the Headmaster's office and went down to his quarters. An hour later he returned with a trunk and vanished when he touched Dumbledore's favorite teapot.

He found himself standing in front of a large Victorian covered in ivy, honeysuckle and climbing roses. The house was situated atop a grassy hill with larger hills and mountains on three sides. In the front the hill gave way to a green plain with a small lake. There was no sign of neighbors or other inhabitants.

"You must be Severus Snape."

At the sound of her quiet voice, he turned back to the house to see a very plain woman with cool blue eyes and mousy brown hair; more noteworthy than the woman was the large timber wolf sitting beside her watching him with great interest.

"Yes. You must be Miss Stanley."

She nodded briefly. "Please come in and I'll show you around."

With a glance he noticed that his trunk was gone. Climbing the steps to the porch he saw the padded wicker chairs and large porch swing.

"This is Jack. He handles security." She led him inside to a bright parlor. To one side of the room was a baby grand piano. There were plenty of comfortable chairs, a well stocked drinks cart and several vases of fresh cut flowers. "This is the main, more formal parlor." Continuing down the hall she opened a pair of doors on the right and they stepped into an immense library. "This is the study." Rosamund went to the back left corner. "Fourth shelf, third book: _Moste Potent Potions_." She tipped the volume out and the shelf swung inward. "In your special circumstances I've prepared a safe room. Thirteen steps down," she stopped and faced the bare wall on the left side, "say _sanctuary_." A small doorway opened revealing a small chamber with a desk, chair and bed. "Once you're in, only I or a blood relative can get you out." She pulled out a long, very thin white wand and tapped a stone. The door swung closed. Rosamund continued down the stairs. The passage opened into a huge workroom with a special area set aside for potion making. "This is the workroom and lab. Supplies are in the large cabinet. Help yourself."

Snape followed her up the stairs, grateful that she wasn't the chatty type and seemed quite content to be silent. They returned to the first floor and she took him through the dining room and kitchen before taking him upstairs where there was a less formal, more used parlor and two bedrooms. They went up one more flight of stairs and she opened the door on the left. "This will be your room, Professor. Mine is just there," she pointed to the door at the end of the short hall on the right. "The grounds cover over a thousand acres and there is a fine stable available. Jack will pass news of your arrival to the rest of his pack so they will know to watch for you. Dinner is usually served around eight, breakfast at seven, lunch at eleven-thirty and tea at four. You are welcome to eat at any time you prefer. Simply let Foamy, my house elf, know what you would like. The menu for the week is posted on the refrigerator. By the by, if you're faint of heart, I'll apologize in advance for Foamy. He's rather vocal and opinionated and favors the phrase 'fat bastard'. If you need anything, let me know." With a polite nod, she left.

Snape stepped into his room and was pleasantly surprised to find a complete absence of bright colors and flowers. The room was done in dark blues with deep ebony woods. A small fire in the hearth took the chill off the room as he began to see to his unpacking. He was just beginning to think of tea when a well appointed tray appeared on a table near the fire. Settling down for a quiet cup, Snape began to ponder his future.

The Ministry wanted him arrested and questioned about his activities for the last twenty years. The few surviving (and so far undetained ) Death Eaters wanted him dead. Most likely going back to Hogwarts in the fall would be out of the question. In many ways that was a relief. He loathed most of the students. Perhaps he could devote all his time to his first love – potions.

While Snape mused over his future, Rosamund worked in the kitchen to get everything ready for dinner and found herself wondering how she had let Uncle Albus talk her into protecting that arrogant prat. She remembered Severus Snape from her days at Hogwarts. He had been three years her senior, but everyone knew who he was: Lucius Malfoy's brain. She remembered watching Snape devise the potions and curses that Malfoy used. One in particular, Rosamund remembered was a young Gryffindor that the pair tortured for nearly a week before James Potter found out and put a stop to it. The young man spent the next year in St. Mungo's after that and never returned to school. Even if Severus Snape was now reformed, the monster had a great deal of past crimes to answer and atone for. The soothing, repetitive motion of the knife began to soothe her as she continued chopping vegetables for dinner.

Over the next few weeks they fell into a quiet routine. Snape busied himself on the potions side of the workroom and Rosamund the other, amidst books, papers and computer parts. Evenings after tea would find Severus reading and Rosamund weaving. Once a week she would saddle up a horse and be out riding over the grounds with her wolf pack; those days Snape had the house to himself. Nearly two months of this had gone on before anything unusual happened.

They were sitting in the upstairs parlor when Jack bounded into the room.

"We have guests. Go down to the safe room," Rosamund told him tersely as she followed Jack down the stairs. She found a pair of sheriff's deputies standing nervously on her front porch surrounded by three large wolves.

"Miss Rosamund Stanley?"

"Yes, Deputy, how can I help you?" She stepped out onto the front porch with Jack at her side.

"I'm Deputy Greenhaw and this is my partner, Deputy Henderson. I'm afraid there's a suspected mass murderer on the loose and we'd like to know if you've seen this man." He handed her a wanted poster with Snape's picture on it.

"He looks appalling and desperate, Deputy. I haven't seen anyone since my borders left last summer."

"Do you mind if we have a look around, ma'am?"

"Not at all. Could I offer you a glass of iced tea, gentlemen?" She opened the door and let them come inside. "There are three floors and on the grounds there is a barn and a stable. As long as Jack is with you, none of his pack will harm you. I'll meet you on the front porch when you've done." With a smile, Rosamund went off to the kitchen.

The deputies were thorough. They spent two hours searching the house and out buildings before joining Rosamund on the porch where she waited with sandwiches and a pitcher of iced tea. They whiled away another hour talking and eating before they finally left.

Rosamund was not surprised in the least when Snape stepped out onto the porch once the car was out of sight. "The reward is quite generous," she said handing him the poster. "You might think about altering your appearance when you come outside."

"Those men were not what they appeared to be," Snape told her.

"Yes, I know. They were Death Eaters. A real Greenhaw and Henderson wouldn't be caught dead together. They've had a blood feud going since the 1930's. If you think the idea of rednecks with guns is frightening, you should see rednecks with wands." Rosamund shuddered.

"Perhaps I should go. If they return it will be in force."

"This is the safest place for you," she shook her head. Then she looked down at Jack, "Ask Porthos and Isabo to come see me this evening."

Snape raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

"Porthos is a bear and Isabo a hawk. They, and their respective kin, help in emergencies."

"Why are you doing this? It puts you at risk as well."

"I'm not sure how Uncle Albus managed to talk me into this. I've always thought you were a monster. True monsters don't reform."

"How do you know me?" He goggled at her.

"From Hogwarts. I was three years behind you and your pal Lucius. I watched your tag team activities there, especially after Gerald Davies."

Snape flinched. "I was stupid and blind."

"How many other victims fall under that excuse?" She rose to her feet.

"Too many, but I don't remember you."

"Not like this, you wouldn't." With a flick of her delicate wand her hair became longer and blonder as her features became more fair.

Snape gasped at the stunningly beautiful woman before noticing burns along one cheek and down to her neck. This face he knew. Kidnapping her had been his 'special' task. "Gwenny." Gwenivere Stanley. "I didn't know," he fell silent as she resumed her previous appearance. Sometimes, at night, the memory of her screams still haunted him. "I can't stay here knowing they'll be back."

"I can take care of myself." She started to pass him so she could enter the house.

"Not if they come in large numbers, Gwenny. Be reasonable." He took her gently by the arms.

"Where was your concern when you left me with Malfoy, Goyle, Crabbe and Nott?" Pulling away, Rosamund went up to her room and locked the door.

Left speechless, Snape went down to the potions lab.

Sharp, screaming, piercing pain. There was no part of her that was not hurting. Keeping her eyes closed, Gwenny tried to loose herself to the blackness. It didn't work. A hard, cold hand slapped her across the face.

"Where is the traitor, Gwenny? I know that Dumbledore sent him to you. Where is he?" Pettigrew demanded as he hit her again.

Opening her eyes, Gwenny smirked at him as she spat out a mouthful of blood and a tooth. It gratified her to know that he was the last. The wolves and bears had gotten the other four who came to the house with him. After that encounter, even Peter wasn't looking so good.

"I'll beat it out of you. Is your life worth his? You don't know what he's done, Gwenny. It's much worse than what he did to you. Why throw your life away for a monster?"

"She won't be, Pettigrew," Snape's hard, steady voice came from behind them.

Gwenny was conscious long enough to see Jack and several of this pack mates. "Kill, Jack." Her eyes closed as she heard the wolves snarling.

"No, Jack," Snape said sharply as he pointed his wand at Pettigrew.

Pettigrew turned to face him, holding Voldemort's wand in his hand. "So nice to see you again, Severus. How have you been since your betrayal led our Master to his death?"

"Quite well, actually, Pettigrew," Snape smiled. "I suggest you leave Miss Stanley alone."

"You're here, so I'm done with her. She wasn't as much fun this time as she was the last. All she did was lay there and pretend to be unconscious." Pettigrew turned back to Gwenny, "Avada-."

"Crucio!"

Pettigrew dropped the wand as Snape held the spell on him. Glancing down Snape saw that Gwenny had already hidden the wand away. When Pettigrew finally collapsed, Snape lowered his wand. Almost immediately he transformed into a rat and dashed away with Jack and his pack right on his tail. As Snape knelt to get a closer look at Gwenny's condition he could hear the high pitched squeals of the rat as the wolves caught him.

"I don't think little Peter's going to be a problem anymore. Looks like you get your life back." Her voice was soft and weak.

"Perhaps, but that can wait." He pulled a potion from his pocket. "Drink this. It will let you sleep through the worst of the pain while I move you."

"Where am I?"

"A cave near the remote northern edge of your property."

Gwenny winced as he raised her enough to drink the potion. "How bad is it, doc?" She tried to joke as he lowered her. She looked up into his dark eyes and was surprised to find that he looked extremely concerned.

"I'm so sorry, Gwenny. For everything."

Sleep took her before she could reply, but she was smiling.

Picking her up, Severus simply apparated back to the house. As he took her up to her room he passed Foamy as the house elf was repairing the damage that had been done.

"Those mother fucking fat bastards! Look what they've done to this place!"

Snape ignored him. "Go to Dumbledore. Tell him I've found her, but I'm not certain she's going to live." He took the steps two at a time as he went up to her room. He was just getting her cleaned up and settled into bed when Dumbledore, with Madam Pomfrey close behind, flooed into the room.

"I've given her one of my own personal sleeping draughts to help ease the pain." He told the nurse as she began to examine Gwenny.

She was very disoriented; uncertain of where she was or when it was.

"Shhh, don't move so much." A warm hand squeezed hers.

"Uncle?" Turning her head very slowly, she found herself looking into a pair of very relieved blue eyes. "How long?" Looking around she found that she was in her room and Snape was in a chair on the other side of the bed, asleep.

"Nearly a week. He hasn't left your side." Dumbledore was not hiding his pleasure. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired, but not too bad. Is the Ministry off his back now?"

Albus nodded, "Yes. You would have enjoyed the look on the Minister's face when Jack brought him Pettigrew's silver hand. No one knows where the wand is though."

"They never will. I intend to destroy it."

"Excellent. You should get some more rest. Now that you're out of danger, I'll be going back to Hogwarts." Rising, he kissed her on the forehead. "I'll check on you soon."

"Bye, Uncle." As soon as he was gone, she carefully pulled herself up into a sitting position.

"You shouldn't be moving around so much." Snape opened his eyes.

"There's something that needs taking care of. Where is it?"

"Here." He pulled the wand out of his pocket.

"It needs to be destroyed. Completely. Irrevocably."

"I agree. I was waiting for you to get a little stronger."

"Bah. Help me to the hearth." She swung her legs off the edge of the bed.

"If you insist."

"I do. You look perfectly ghastly, by the way," she grinned at him as she slipped an arm around his shoulders.

"You're looking somewhat ragged yourself." He put an arm around her slim waist and helped her walk slowly across the room where she lowered herself to the hearth rug. Her hand paused as she was about to flip a stray lock of hair away from her face. "I see I've gone back to normal."

"Yes." He knelt beside her, Voldemort's wand in one hand. "Ready?"

"Ready."

Snape broke the wand in half and tossed it into the fire.

The small blaze burst into bright orange flames and then died abruptly, leaving a thick pile of ash. They sat there in silence for a moment and then the pile began to move. Snape slowly reached in and pulled out a small ugly bird with ashy gray feathers. They stared at the bird for a moment in shock, and then Snape looked at Gwenny and smiled.


End file.
